[EM] Approval with 2 ballotings

[Forest Simmons]

How about using proxy approval for the primary? Assuming most voters would
vote their favorite as proxy, the relative strengths would be revealed, so
the proxies (i.e. candidates) could represent their supporters with
informed choices.

Instead of merely withdrawing from the race, weak candidates would exert
proportional representation on behalf of their supporters, so that all
would have a proportional (if vicarious) say in who goes on to the finals.

In this context proxy approval could be thought of as analogous to (or an
extension of) the traditional process of block reps being chosen in mass
meetings to represent their neighborhoods in party primaries.

Could this be the long sought niche for proxy approval?


On Thu, 2 Jan 2003, Alex Small wrote:

> MIKE OSSIPOFF said:
> > The more one looks at the 2-balloting Approval hybrids, the better
> > plain Approval looks in comparison.
>
> I agree.
>
> This discussion was originally motivated by a concern over crowded
> fields of candidates.  Partisan races solve this with primaries, and
> non-partisan races solve it with 2-step runoff.  Perhaps plain approval
> should be used unless the number of candidates exceeds some threshold,
> at which point a plurality primary is used, and the top N candidates
> advance, unless somebody gets a majority.  N can be chosen according to
> what people view as the maximum number of candidates in a quality
> debate.
>
> Then, in the second round, use plain approval.
>
> Of course, if the field of candidates is not too large, a single round
> with plain approval should suffice.
>
>
>
>
> Alex
>
>
>
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